diff --git a/docs/data_format_changes/i2696-support-encryption-for-counters.md b/docs/data_format_changes/i2696-support-encryption-for-counters.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..dd53e57898
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/data_format_changes/i2696-support-encryption-for-counters.md
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+# Support encryption for counters
+We changed the data format of counters from int64 and float64 to bytes to support encryption. This changes the generated CIDs for counters.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/internal/core/crdt/counter.go b/internal/core/crdt/counter.go
index 76bd99fa51..4aa9a40793 100644
--- a/internal/core/crdt/counter.go
+++ b/internal/core/crdt/counter.go
@@ -187,6 +187,13 @@ func (c Counter) incrementValue(
 	return c.setPriority(ctx, c.key, priority)
 }
 
+func (c Counter) CType() client.CType {
+	if c.AllowDecrement {
+		return client.PN_COUNTER
+	}
+	return client.P_COUNTER
+}
+
 func validateAndIncrement[T Incrementable](
 	ctx context.Context,
 	store datastore.DSReaderWriter,
@@ -212,13 +219,6 @@ func validateAndIncrement[T Incrementable](
 	return cbor.Marshal(newValue)
 }
 
-func (c Counter) CType() client.CType {
-	if c.AllowDecrement {
-		return client.PN_COUNTER
-	}
-	return client.P_COUNTER
-}
-
 func getCurrentValue[T Incrementable](
 	ctx context.Context,
 	store datastore.DSReaderWriter,